This is What Family Looks Like
by ThornsHaveRoses
Summary: Post season 13. The apocalypse has been averted, and the Winchesters have a bit of downtime. Dean invites everyone he considers family for dinner. Angels, hunters, witches, Nephlim. Oh, and a secret that gets spilled around the table - honestly Dean, how long did you think until they found out? Destiel. Just a cute family oneshot. Rated T for a couple curse words.


**A/N This would take place slightly after season 13 assuming the invasion by Michael is successfully averted, Gabriel goes to Heaven to sort out that mess, and there is a 'lull' in which nothing drastically terrible crops up, and the Winchesters and friends can relax for a day or two. (Use your imagination - we know this will never happen! Lol)**

 **Also, this will have a bit of Destiel. Nothing explicit or anything, you just hear about. I couldn't stop myself! Don't like, don't read.**

 **Constructive criticism is welcome, but please no flames.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing . I just wanted to play with the cool kids for a bit.**

This is What Family Looks Like

By ThornsHaveRoses

"Dean!"

"In the kitchen!" His brother hollered back. Sam looked down at the large table again. Yep. There were eight place settings. Sam had set the table a half hour ago, and he had put out exactly five place settings. Obviously Dean had added the extras.

Sam walked into the kitchen. Dean was bent over the oven, checking on the chicken that had been roasting for the last two hours. Sam almost laughed. Nobody believed that Dean could actually cook. Yeah, the guy who lived on greasy burgers and acted like french fries were the only vegetable worth mentioning. But the thing was, ever since they were kids, Dean had been making meals for Sam. And yeah, he'd started out with Mac and chesee and french toast, but Dean had always taken it upon himself to make sure his younger brother was getting a good meal, and whenever possible, that included all the food groups.

Dean the big brother could make a tuna cassarole that would make you beg for seconds. He could make a Shepherds Pie smothered in cheese and a homemade chicken soup that was to die for. Pork chops marinated in a pomagrante sace. Roasted veggies with butter and garlic.

But Dean the Hunter never found time to stand in the kitchen, and Sam was old enough to make his own meals. And secretly, Sam knew Dean was just too stressed these last few years. He couldn't even think of 'wasting' time in the kitchen.

But here they were. Another crisis averted. Michael _stopped,_ and that giant weight on their shoulders had eased just a little. Jack and May had been back for three weeks, and she'd picked up hunting as soon as she got back. Sam kind of thought she just wanted to tackle something mundane (in their world) to offset the horror and, well, the impossible situation she'd been in. Sam and Dean did not begrudge her that. If it took staking a vampire or burning a spirits bones for their Mom to feel normal, they'd support her one hundred percent.

She'd called yesterday and said she'd finished up, and Dean (surprising them both) had invited her to the Bunker for supper. A real, homecooked supper apparently.

Dean said over his shoulder, "Food'll be ready in forty-five minutes Sammy. Is Jack back with the pie yet?"

As he spoke, Sam heard the Bunker door squeak open. "I think that's him now."

Jack was different now. More world-weary. But standing against Michael, seeing the people you fought with die and you couldn't protect them? The boys understand those pains only all to well. The three of them were close now, and only a bit of if had to do with Jack living with them since getting out of Apocalypse-World. He had saved their Mom, and to Sam and Dean, loyalty was everything.

Also, seeing how Mary and Jack were together - she treated him like a son, and he treated her like the mother he'd never known and that made him family. It was different with Cas, because even though Jack kind of held him up as a father figure, Cas was not around very much. They needed him in heaven, a job he never complained about, even though when he popped into the Bunker, you could hear his sigh if relief, see him relax.

Cas had only been back to Bunker three or four times since Jack and Mary's return, but Sam could see that Cas (though he never said it outloud) thought of the Bunker as home, instead of Heaven. It was sad, but also... heartwarming. Because after fighting side by side (off and on) with the angel for... wow, had it really been over ten years? Well, Cas was like a brother to Sam. Not to Dean, however, Sam grinned internally. He wasn't entirely sure what Castiel was to Dean, but he was pretty damn sure there were no brotherly feelings going on there.

"Jack?" He called.

The Nephlim walked into the kitchen, a white plastic bag in each hand. "I got the pies!"

Somehow in the last three weeks, Jack and Dean's relationship had taken a complete spin, Dean was now accepting of the kid with world-ending abilities. Sam figured he was just greatful to have Mom back, and after finding out that Jack craved a good pie almost as much as the elder Winchester boy, Dean treated him like... family.

Yeah. After Apocalypse-World, they had become closer. All of them. Sam, Dean, Jack, Mary and Cas. Which is why Sam had set out five plates. He still hadn't sorted that out. But somthing else snagged his attention.

"Dude... how many pies did you get?"

Dean turned around at his comment. Jack smiled. "One of every kind. Dean said I could choose."

Sam burst out laughing. "Jack..."

"What?" The kid honestly seemed confused.

"Shut up Sammy. The kid did exactly what he was told. Set 'um over here so I can see them." Dean crowed.

Jack did as he was told, grinning. As he piled the pie boxes on the counter, Dean exclaimed happily when his favorites appeared. After giving jack a high-five, Dean turned back to supper.

"Oh, and Sammy, go put on something nice, huh?" Dean added.

Sam looked down at himself. Blue jeans. Grey t-shirt. Blue flannel. "There's nothing wrong with my outfit, Dean."

"We're having Sunday-fucking-supper, Sam. Put on something nice."

"This is nice." He protested.

Dean shot him a look, and Sam realised just how much this meal meant to his brother. And hell, if putting on a nice shirt could keep Dean this happy, well, he owed him that much. "You know, I probably have something lying around." He consented. "What about Jack? "

The young man looked at him. "Dean already got something for me."

Sam grinned. How long, he wondered, had Dean been planning this meal? Well, honestly, probably the whole of his life. Ever since Mom had died.

"Hurry up." Dean said.

Sam left to get changed, only realising once he was in his room that he hadn't asked Dean about the place settings. He dug out a pair if dark jeans. Dark jeans were semi-casual, right? Then he found a light grey dress shirt from one of their jobs. He kind of thought it came from that time they were PIs. He grinned, then rolled up the sleeves. He still had a right to be comfortable.

By the time he came back out, Jack was wearing blue jeans a black long sleeve shirt. It might not seem like dressing up to a lot of people, but the clothes were clean, fit well, and brand new.

The Bunker door creaked open again, and Mary arrived. After she decended the stairs and dropped her duffle bag, Sam pulled her in for a hug, her much smaller body held tightly for a moment against his chest. When he pulled back, she gave him that perfect, effortless, I'm-glad-to-see-you-too smile.

Without hesitating she walked over to Jack and pulled him in tight, too. Sam got to see the Nephlims expression, and he knew how precious this moment, this action was to Jack.

"Something smells good." She sighed.

"Dean's cooking!" Jack told her. "And I got the pie."

"Oh thank God." She joked. Sam new Mary was just as serious as her eldest about pie.

"Dean can cook?" Came another female voice from up on the landing. They all glanced up. Sam grinned easily at seeing Jody. Jack gave her a small smile too, but Mary didnt recognize the attractive, short-haired women who'd arrived.

"Jody! Dean must have invited you." Sam remarked.

"And the girls, but they didn't make it this time. They went to a concert last night, and weren't back in time to make the drive. Quite frankly, I'm glad they're getting out and doing normal things." Jody shrugged.

Sam nodded "Mom, this is Sheriff Jody Mills. Good friend, great hunter. Jody - my Mom; Mary Winchester."

Jody stuck out her hand, and Mary shook it firmly. "Good to meet you. This boys have been frantic to have you back."

Mary smiled. "You too. Sheriff? I reckon that's a bit of a story. Hunters don't usually end up working with the law."

Jody smiled, glanced at Sam, then said. "I'll tell you - if we have time before dinner that is?"

"Fifteen minutes." Jack piped up helpfully.

The Bunker door opened again. A sharp, accented voice rang out. "Honestly, if you're going to invite me to dinner, the least you could do is remove the wardings, Sam Winchester. Would have saved me a great deal of time just to arrive down there."

Sam, surprised, still smiled. "To save you the trouble if walking down those stairs?"

"And that slab of metal you call a door. It's so heavy for a wee lass like myself." Rowena stepped down gracefully, her red hair pinned up on her head, and a fancy red dress swishing as she stepped.

Rowena glanced at the others. "Mary Winchester, of course. Jack , the Nephlim, and another hunter, yes? I've seen you before, haven't I? "

"Rowena this is Jody." Sam said. The witch stepped up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Then he retreated to the kitchen. Surely they could all behave themselves until supper. "Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"You invited Rowena? "

Dean looked at him. "Why not? She helped us avert an apocalypse. I'd say that deserves a good meal. Plus... I mean, she's alone now.. what with Crowley..."

Sam had a feeling this was more of an apology dinner - sorry I wanted to kill you a few months ago, and thanks for helping save our asses even after that. But this was Dean. Emotions were not his strong point, and Sam was just glad he was giving Rowena a second chance.

Seeing how awkward his brother looked, he changed the subject. "Is Cas still coming?"

"Yeah. Dude knows were eating at six.." Dean snuck a glance at the cloak. Eight minutes until six. "Help me carry out the drinks? "

They each grabbed some.

Jack, Mary, Rowena and Jody were already sitting down. "You're a witch?" Jody asked, shocked.

"Um, the Witch, darling. The most powerful witch, actually." Rowena replied easily.

Jody turned to the boys, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Yeah, Rowena's a badass. " Dean concurred, and she'd preened under his comment.

"I just didn't realise you two were so close to..." Jody trailed of.

"The monsters?" Dean questioned easily, not at all offended. "You already know Jack's a Nephlim . We got two angels coming-"

"And Dean was good friends with my son, who was a demon, and also The King of Hell." Rowena added.

Dean shrugged under the incredulous stares of his mother and Jody. "Crowley helped us out when we needed him. Stoped trying to kill us after a whIle."

Sam looked at them curiously. "Neither of you have ever, uh, positively interacted with the supernatural?"

"You're seriously asking that?" Jody seemed a little offended.

"It's not that big of a deal. Sam had a crush on a werewolf once." Dean said.

"Dean was best buds with a vampire he met in Purgatory." Sam countered, glaring at his brother.

"Sam slept with a demon."

"Dean killed himself to go play with a Reaper."

Their game of trying to one-up each was inturrupted by a flash of light, and two figures were suddenly standing beside the table.

"What's going on?" Gabriel said, turning to Cas. "You told me they were being attacked! I left Heaven to help them! "

"I lied to you." Castiel said evenly. "Dean said i should use any method I had to to get you to come."

"Whoa, Cas. No need to throw me under the damn bus." Dean protested, when Gabriel turned his glare to him.

"I must get back to Heaven. They need me."

"Gabriel, you've been up there nonstop since we stopped Michael. Before that you were on your revenge mission, and getting siphoned by a junkie-demon. You need a break, man. " Dean said.

Sam looked at his brother. Dean had this big heart that he hardly ever opened up, and he was do glad to see him reaching out. "Stay Gabriel. " He said.

The archangel's gaze met his and some of the fire left his eyes. But then, Gabriel had always related better to Sam. "Dean, get the chicken." Sam ordered. "Jack, can you help him?"

The Nephlim followed Dean to the kitchen. "Cas. Good to see you again." Sam said.

"Thank you Sam. It is good to be back here again."

Sam then served the drinks. Red wine for Rowena, whiskey for Gabriel, orange juice for Jack and beers for the rest of them.

Jack and Dean served the meal. Rowena and Jody sat at the ends of the table. Gabriel, Sam and Mary sat on one side, and Jack, Dean and Cas on the other. They all filled their plates, and almost as soon as they started eating compliments started flying about the food until Sam could have sworn Dean was blushing a little under all that praise.

The conversation ranged from the most ridiculous cases they'd ever worked, to the best spells. A gentle argument over whether archangels or witch's were more powerful. Jack and Dean tried to come up a team name for the group around the table,since they all (but Jody) had joined forces to stop the apocalypse, and the inevitable fight over which kind of pie was better (three for cherry, three for apple, and two for coconut cream).

Sam fetched more beers. Somehow this ragtag group were all getting along. Even Gabriel had unwound, letting Rowena flirt with him.

After the meal, while Dean served pie, Mary fetched a pot of coffee, and the conversation changed again, a little less rambunctious, a bit more serious. Like how they had all ended up at that table together.

"Sam, Dean... how did you meet Castiel?" Mary asked - something she'd wanted to know the answer to for months. The angel seemed like such an integral part of her sons lives.

Dean, although he had a high alcohol tolerance, was on his third beer, and the answer came out a bit more blunt than it might have otherwise. "He pulled me out of Hell." He said nonchalantly.

Mary actually choked on her coffee. "What?"

"Yeah." Dean shrugged, then pulled up one shirt sleeve to show the perfect handprint scar on his shoulder.

"You were in Hell?" Others around had paused. Rowena and Gabriel gad both had an idea about it, but Dean never talked about.

"It wasn't that bad." Dean said.

"It was pretty bad." Sam muttered under his breath.

Dean ignored him. "Cas saved my bacon. Then Sam's bacon. Then both our bacons. Don't know what we'd do without him." Dean grinned at the angel.

Cas smiled back.

Then Jack asked Dean inocenntly "Is that why you kissed him the other day?"

Sam's jaw was not the only one that dropped.

"Kid, you aren't very good at keeping secrets!" Dean growled, a blush creeping up his neck for the second time that night.

"I didn't know it was a secret!" Jack protested. "Besides, you guys are the ones holding hands under the table."

"Goddammit. " Dean snatched his hand up and placed it in the table.

Gabriel hooted. Mary smiled. Rowena rolled her eyes.

Sam fake-pouted "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was gonna," Dean muttered. "You know. Soon."

Gabriel laughed harder.

"Oh honey, this is wonderful!" Mary cooed.

Jody just shook her head, exasperated.

"Dean, now that they know. .." Cas said., and he reached up and laced his fingers through Deans on top of the table where everyone could see. Deans strong, calloused fingers squeezed around his, and Dean dropped his head on Cas' shoulder with a groan.

Sam grinned. Grinned so wide his face hurt.

This was the happiest day of his life. This moment. A table full of his family, laughing and smiling and happy. Happy for Dean and Cas. Happy to be free and alive and together. This had been Deans idea, but Sam was the one who was going to make sure it kept happening. This hope.

T **hank you for reading! Obviously I don't know how season 13 will end (holy crap, only 3 more episodes ) but I just love the idea of a family moment. I hope I did the characters justice. Please take a minute to review - it means so much to me!**


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